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OIN Announces Broad Expansion of Linux System Definition and Community Protections

DURHAM, NC, Mar 06, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) --
Open Invention Network (OIN) announced that it has significantly
expanded and updated the Linux System technologies covered by its
protective network of royalty-free cross-licenses among hundreds of
OIN licensees. Over 700 new software packages -- including popular
packages such as KVM, Git, OpenJDK, and WebKit -- will now receive
coverage. In addition, coverage for over 1,000 existing software
packages has been updated.

This will have the positive effect of broadening the scope of
coverage of the patent cross-licenses and releases from claims of
patent infringement between and among the OIN community members. The
improved coverage of the OIN license will help to encourage ongoing
collaboration and investment from Linux developers, distributors,
sellers, resellers and end-users.

"This expansion in the coverage of the OIN license furthers OIN's
mission to enable and protect Linux," said Keith Bergelt, CEO of Open
Invention Network. "This update is an exciting day for OIN and Linux,
and is driven by the dynamic growth of open source software. We are
pleased to offer enhanced value to OIN's licensees, which we believe
will be beneficial to the open source community as a whole."
Patents owned by Open Invention Network are available royalty-free to
any company, institution or individual that agrees not to assert its
patents against the "Linux System," as defined at
http://www.openinventionnetwork.com/pat_linuxdef.php. With its
license, OIN is disseminating protections, including patent
cross-licenses and releases from claims of patent infringement among
its licensees, which in turn encourages collaboration. The Open
Invention Network license can be found at
http://www.openinventionnetwork.com/pat_license_agreement.php.

About Open Invention Network
Open Invention Network is a collaborative enterprise that enables
innovation in open source and an increasingly vibrant ecosystem
around Linux. It does this by acquiring and licensing patents
royalty-free, influencing behaviors and policy and protecting the
integrity of the ecosystem through strategic programs such as Linux
Defenders. OIN enables the growth and continuation of open source
software by fostering a healthy Linux ecosystem of investors,
vendors, developers and users.

Open Invention Network has strong industry and community backing and
was launched in 2005 by IBM, NEC, Novell, Philips, Red Hat and Sony.

For more information, visit www.openinventionnetwork.com.

Open Invention Network, the Open Invention Network logo, Linux
Defenders, Linux Defenders 911 and the Linux Defenders 911 logo are
registered trademarks or the property of Open Invention Network, LLC.

All other names and brand marks are the property of their respective
holders.